Boeing: Historical Snapshot: B-52 Stratofortress B-52 Stratofortress Historical Snapshot In August 2014, the B-52 Stratofortress celebrated 60 years in the air. The eight-engine, 390,000-pound (176,901-kilogram) jet was America’s first long-range, swept-wing heavy bomber. It began as an intercontinental, high-altitude nuclear bomber, and its operational capabilities were adapted to meet changing defense needs. B-52s have been modified for low-level flight, conventional bombing, extended-range flights and transport of improved defensive and offensive equipment — including ballistic and cruise missiles that can be launched hundreds of miles from their targets. It had a rocky beginning. The original XB-52 design, selected by the Army Air Forces in 1946, was for a straight-wing, six-engine, propeller-powered heavy bomber. On Oct. 21, 1948, Boeing Chief Engineer Ed Wells and his design team were in Dayton, Ohio, when the Air Force’s chief of bomber development told them to scrap the propellers and come up with an all-jet bomber.

Over the following weekend, in a Dayton hotel room, the team designed a new eight-engine jet bomber, still called the B-52, made a scale model out of balsa wood and prepared a 33-page report. This effort impressed the Air Force’s Air Materiel Command, and the design was approved. As the war worsened in Korea, the Air Force, in 1951, designated the B-52 the country’s next intercontinental bomber and approved an initial production order for 13 B-52s. The first B-52A flew Aug. 5, 1954. After assembly of three B-52As, production converted to B-52Bs, with more weight and larger engines. Some had photoreconnaissance or electronic capsules in their bomb bays and were redesignated RB-52Bs. The turbofan powered B-52H, the final version of the B-52, made its first flight March 6, 1961, and is still in service. With each variant, the B-52 increased in range, power and capability.

In all, 744 B-52s were produced by Seattle, Wash., and Wichita, Kan., plants between 1952 and 1962. Throughout the 1950s, the B-52 chalked up many distance and speed records. It cut the round-the-world speed record in half, and in January 1962, flew 12,500 miles (20,117 kilometers) nonstop from Japan to Spain without refueling. This flight alone broke 11 distance and speed records. The B-52 saw active duty in the Vietnam War and was used in the Persian Gulf War in 1991 and over Afghanistan in 2001. On Oct. 26, 2012, Boeing marked 50 years since it had delivered its last B-52 Stratofortress to the U.S. Air Force. H-model bomber 61-040 had been assigned to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., where it remained in active service. Modern engineering analyses showed the B-52’s expected lifespan extending beyond 2040.

In May 2014, The Air Force introduced the first B-52 aircraft upgraded with an advanced communications system developed by Boeing into its fleet. The Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) modification added several communication data links, full-color LCD displays with real-time intelligence feeds overlaid on moving maps, a state-of-the-art computing network, and the ability to retarget a weapon, or mission parameters, in flight. At that time, the Air Force operated 76 B-52s primarily out of Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and planned to upgrade all of them. Technical Specifications B-52 Re-engine Resurfaces As USAF Reviews Studies | Defense content from Aviation Week B-52 Re-engine Resurfaces As USAF Reviews Studies Oct 10, 2014 Bill Sweetman | Aerospace Daily & Defense Report Comments 18 Advertisement The U.S. Air Force is reviewing industry studies of fitting its 50-year-old Boeing B-52 bombers with new commercial-derivative engines, according to Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, commander of the service’s Global Strike Command.

So far, Wilson said Oct. 9 at a Washington meeting, the Air Force assesses that the change would result in a net cost savings over the remaining life of the B-52s, which are expected to fly until 2040. Wilson did not identify the contractor that made the proposal or whether more than one company is involved. However, an industry source confirms that Boeing has presented a “concept brief” and that General Electric has looked at fitting the bomber with eight CF34 -10 engines. Pratt & Whitney also is exploring options. Fitting new engines would sharply reduce the bombers’ fuel burn, and in turn reduce the need for tanker support, Wilson said. Moreover, under current commercial standards the new engines would not have to be removed for routine maintenance over the lifetime of the aircraft. Wilson’s Global Strike Command and Air Force Materiel command are examining the proposal; separately, Wilson said he wants his command to become more agile and innovative in terms of procurement and upgrade programs, and that he has worked on learning lessons from Air Force Special Operations Command in this area.

One example is the Dragon’s Eye demonstration this summer, in which a Northrop Grumman ASQ-236 radar targeting pod was fitted to a B-52 and flight tested in four weeks. The main obstacles to a re-engining program could concern budgets and regulations, Wilson says. Airline operating experience would have to be used to support military airworthiness requirements, and the proposal rests on recovering an early investment through lower operating costs. Wilson notes that commanders have budgetary discretion to spend money against future energy savings when they modernize bases and other facilities, but not to modify aircraft. This represents at least the third attempt to re-engine the B-52, which is powered by eight TF33 engines similar to those used on the Boeing 707. Pratt & Whitney studied the idea in 1982, with four PW2000 -series engines. In 1996 Boeing and Rolls-Royce jointly proposed to fit B-52s with four RB211-535s, with the government leasing the engines.

The first plan was not taken up because all B-52s were to be replaced by B-1s and B-2s by the late 1990s, and the second failed because of resistance to leasing combat assets and a flawed economic assessment by the Air Force. According to a 2004 Defense Science Board report, the USAF failed to take the cost of air refueling into account. At that time, tanker-delivered fuel cost $17.50 per gallon, 14 times the cost of fuel on the ground. The DSB task force “unanimously recommend[ed] the Air Force proceed with B-52H re-engining without delay,” but no action was taken. “Had we done it all those years ago, we’d be patting ourselves on the back today and telling everyone how smart we were,” Wilson said. GE’s eight-CF34-10 option could deliver more thrust than the current engines (variants are rated at 17,640-20,360-lb. thrust) and would avoid engine-out handling issues.

Pratt & Whitney announced in May that it was launching the PW1135G-JM, aimed initially at the A321neo and rated at a 35,000-lb. thrust class, slightly more than two TF33s. The new engines would deliver an even greater performance and efficiency improvement than the engines proposed in 1996. The RB211-535 has been out of production since the end of the Boeing 757 line in 2004, and the last F117s (military PW2000s) are being delivered with the final C-17s , so neither engine is a strong candidate today. Neil Marshall on Oct 13, 2014 This aircraft will be positively Neolithic when it retires - it emerged in 1946 as the Boeing Model 462, powered by 6 Wright T35 turboprops! The re-engining looks a no-brainer, if it can be funded. area51@whidbeyi...

on Oct 13, 2014 Back in the 1980s, a good friend of mine, now a retired USAF LTC, was part of a team looking into the re-engining the B-52H with the same engine that powers the Boeing C-17A. It seems that when Boeing designed the 757 they made the engine nacelles for the 757 100% mechanically compatible with the B-52Hs wing pylon attachment. After careful study the cost benefits, mind you this was back 35 years ago when Jet-A was a lot cheaper. As it turned out, installing the C-17s Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 rated at 40,440 lbf of thrust on the 757 nacelle was estimated to reduce fuel consumption by 40%, increased the maximum takeoff weight from 488,000 to 588,000 lbs, an reduced maintenance time by more that 40%.

He also said that the cost to the Air Force for the mechanical part was minimal as the 757 pylon was direct bolt on and the electronics part was about $2 million in then dollars. But at the time the powers that be didn't want any competition to the still secret Northrop B-2 Spirit. wuzafan@yahoo.com on Oct 13, 2014 add the additional thrust, does not give you free lunch to raise the GW 100K lbs, the structure would not be good for that. the additional weight of the engines, and their vastly different geometry, would require extensive structural redesign and analysis, especially flutter, sicne the moss mass, and position ahead of , and below, thw wing would change. i woiuld severely doubt at this day and age, than anyone left at mcboeing could do this work with any competence. the larger fan face would no doubt increase the b52s radar cross section, but this is not a major issue with this older design. there are several versions of the CFM out there, form the ones on the 135R, to the 37NG, but those would have too much thrust, and, weight.

the cleanest would to somehow put 4 larger ones on it, but again, thrust, sizing, and weight come into play. on Oct 13, 2014 > Wilson’s Global Strike Command and Air Force Materiel command are examining the proposal; separately, Wilson said he wants his command to become more agile and innovative in terms of procurement and upgrade programs, and that he has worked on learning lessons from Air Force Special Operations Command in this area. > The one lesson the USAF has to learn is that, in a period of severe budget cutbacks, there may well be _no_ new program starts, even for a make-work refit. This is a stupid idea. If you are flying D1/R1 missions in a heavy, you are stood off because TacAir is busy reducing threats and can't spare the sorties to do direct escort and roll back, just for you.

That means your 'bomber' is a cruise carrier and with 800km of reach on the JASSM-ER, the direct implication is that an aircraft in the B-52 class can (by weight) carry 20-30 such weapons (@ 2,250lbs munition weight = 45,000--67,000lbs, half the weight of an Abrams tank). But it is unlike that it will manage to do so on volume (HSAB can theoretically carry nine heavyweight munitions but is seldom fitted with more than two...). Which is why you want to CABS an alternative solution- Cargo Aircraft Bombardment System We're already doing it with C-130s and the MCALS system to launch MALDs with because you need a lot of drones, in a short window, to saturate with (and rumors persist that they may do more) and you cannot afford to clutter the jets up with secondary missions when they are there to drop PGMs.

The same would apply here except that you could fly round robins from Alaska or Hawaii (well beyond '2nd Island Chain' reach for China) with, for instance, 20 more dedicated shots every 2hrs or so using just half the USAF allotment of 200 C-17s. Once you have the basic airspace security (long range radars are down, site coordination between SAMs is destroyed), you transition to a semi-LO equivalent to the B-2 in a modernized production and maintenance condition and drop the 16 shot SIOP nuclear load out for something a lot smaller like 50 GBU-53 or 20 GBU-54. Just enough so that a single bomber can shut down entirely a single airbase or tank column or invasion convoy. To which I would also add a standoff Big Crow option on select platforms. The USAF needs to do two things: 1. Exhibit true leadership by necking down their 'triad within the triad' to just 1-2 types. IMO, the Red Ball Express aka B-1B should go.

And so should the geriatric B-52 (the PDMs on these things are up to two years and 10 million dollars I'm told). The Batwing can remain as a limited show-the-flag figurehead capability until LRSB can replace it's maintenance hog condition as well. The best way to achieve this is to admit that the flexibility of a cruise weapon carrier derives from NOT having to overfly enemy airspace and NOT have to sail back to a port some 500-1,000nm distant to reload a VLS. 2. Acknowledge that Strategic Air is a truly limited capability for most contingency warfighter missions. Especially in SSC/LIC insurgency missions, I would push hard for a common A-47/UCLASS buy so that we can scatter 10 aircraft over an occupied nation for 10-15hrs, unrefueled, instead of bringing a single B-xx to hover over _one_ spot for 15-20hrs, after 3 AARs to get it from Diego or Andersen Field.

On the mega-derp level of savings, nobody is considering the robots-don't-nap condition by which tactical unmanned airframes, already closer to the theater, can provide exceptional persistent coverage so that Marine and Army units waaaay out in the BOB don't get whacked by the mortar that goes thump-whump in the night. All of which is going to further become very important as the next Administration casts a jaundiced eye on DOD as the number one _worldwide_ consumer of POL. And the air services in particular HAVE TO respond by condensing flight time to only those core capabilities which they feel cannot be done without a pilot who is pulling down 20hrs/month/mission, just to stay current (no exercises, no cooperative deployments overseas...). The nice thing is, a C-17 can do things like fly medical aid to Liberia when it's not dropping cruise out the ramp. Which is to say, about 90% of the time. It thus has utility beyond the kinetic military mission even as it is already established in the force and relatively young. CONCLUSION: Economy and Affordability should be what drives the future bomber mission.

Getting there means splitting the mission and dumping the duplicated capabilities in the present force, as a preemptive draw down that justifies LRSB while providing a _limited_ standin capacity to augment the B-2 in MTW/MRC campaigns. This is what General Wilson needs to be thinking about. Smarter, Smaller, Less Ambitious. Shed some unnecessary capability as a precondition of asking for new ones, more tailored to a modern Precision Globlal Strike role (fewer smart bombs, smaller weights). claes.eriksson@... on Oct 20, 2014 Reengine such an old airframe is not easy. Then when you are getting the design schemes and BOM ready you need to start to certify it. The British went thru all this with the Nimrod 2000 and finally concluded it was not certifiable with todays military safety standards that has evoloved since the 50'ies. It is not clear why not a large 2 engine Global Hawk type of aircraft "The Statohawk" with the same payload and satellite mission control communication could not do the same job cheaper, safer and with better endurance.

davidhoffman5 on Jun 16, 2015 Somewhat off topic. We are seeing the first C-5Ms with the new engines. They are so much quieter than the old C5-Bs. I wonder how much quieter eight new geared turbofan engines would make a B-52H. B-52 Stratofortress > U.S. Air Force > Fact Sheet Display PRINT | E-MAIL Mission The B-52 is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,166.6 meters). It can carry nuclear or precision guided conventional ordnance with worldwide precision navigation capability. Features In a conventional conflict, the B-52 can perform strategic attack, close-air support, air interdiction, offensive counter-air and maritime operations. During Desert Storm, B-52s delivered 40 percent of all the weapons dropped by coalition forces. It is highly effective when used for ocean surveillance, and can assist the U.S. Navy in anti-ship and mine-laying operations.

Two B-52s, in two hours, can monitor 140,000 square miles (364,000 square kilometers) of ocean surface. All B-52s can be equipped with two electro-optical viewing sensors, a forward-looking infrared and advanced targeting pods to augment targeting, battle assessment, and flight safety, thus further improving its combat ability. Pilots wear night vision goggles, or NVG, to enhance their vision during night operations. Night vision goggles provide greater safety during night operations by increasing the pilot's ability to visually clear terrain, to increase the peacetime and combat situational awareness of the aircrew and visually acquire other aircraft. B-52s are currently upgrading from the Litening Advanced Targeting Pod to the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod. Sniper pods provide improved long-range target detection/identification and continuous stabilized surveillance for all missions, including close air support of ground forces. The pod’s advanced targeting and image processing technology significantly increases the combat effectiveness of the B-52 during day, night and under-the-weather conditions in the attack of ground targets with a variety of standoff weapons (i.e., laser-guided bombs, conventional bombs and GPS-guided weapons).

The use of aerial refueling gives the B-52 a range limited only by crew endurance. It has an unrefueled combat range in excess of 8,800 miles (14,080 kilometers). Background For more than 40 years, B-52 Stratofortresses have been the backbone of the manned strategic bomber force for the United States. The B-52 is capable of dropping or launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory. This includes gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided missiles and joint direct attack munitions. Updated with modern technology the B-52 will be capable of delivering the full complement of joint developed weapons and will continue into the 21st century as an important element of our nation's defenses. Current engineering analyses show the B-52's life span to extend beyond the year 2040. The B-52A first flew in 1954, and the B model entered service in 1955. A total of 744 B-52s were built with the last, a B-52H, delivered in October 1962.

The first of 102 B-52H's was delivered to Strategic Air Command in May 1961. The H model can carry up to 20 air launched cruise missiles. In addition, it can carry the conventional cruise missile that was launched in several contingencies during the 1990s, starting with Operation Desert Storm and culminating with Operation Iraqi Freedom. The aircraft's flexibility was evident in Operation Desert Storm and again during Operation Allied Force. B-52s struck wide-area troop concentrations, fixed installations and bunkers, and decimated the morale of Iraq's Republican Guard. On Sept. 2 to 3, 1996, two B-52Hs struck Baghdad power stations and communications facilities with 13 AGM-86C conventional air launched cruise missiles, or CALCMs, as part of Operation Desert Strike. At that time, this was the longest distance flown for a combat mission involving a 34-hour, 16,000 statute mile round trip from Barksdale Air Force Base,Louisiana.

In 2001, the B-52 contributed to the success in Operation Enduring Freedom, providing the ability to loiter high above the battlefield and provide close air support through the use of precision guided munitions. The B-52 also played a role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. On March 21, 2003, B-52Hs launched approximately 100 CALCMs during a night mission. Only the H model is still in the Air Force inventory and is assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, North, Dakota, and the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, which fall under Air Force Global Strike Command. The aircraft is also assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB. General characteristics Contractor: Boeing Military Airplane Co.

Power plant: eight Pratt & Whitney engines TF33-P-3/103 turbofan Thrust: each engine up to 17,000 pounds Wingspan: 185 feet (56.4 meters) Length: 159 feet, 4 inches (48.5 meters) Height: 40 feet, 8 inches (12.4 meters) Weight: Approximately 185,000 pounds (83,250 kilograms) Maximum takeoff weight: 488,000 pounds (219,600 kilograms) Fuel capacity: 312,197 pounds (141,610 kilograms) Payload: 70,000 pounds (31,500 kilograms) Speed: 650 miles per hour (Mach 0.84) Range: 8,800 miles (7,652 nautical miles) Ceiling: 50,000 feet (15,151.5 meters) Armament: approximately 70,000 pounds (31,500 kilograms) mixed ordnance: bombs

, mines and missiles.

(Modified to carry air-launched cruise missiles) Crew: five (aircraft commander, pilot, radar navigator, navigator and electronic warfare officer) Unit cost: $84 million (fiscal 2012 constant dollars) Initial operating capability: April 1952 Inventory: active force, 58; ANG, 0; Reserve, 18 (Current as of December 2015) Point of contact Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs Office Afgsc.paworkflow@us.af.mil ; 318-456-1305 or DSN 781-1305 245 Davis Ave E Room 198, Barksdale AFB, LA., 71110 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress | Info, B-52H, Budget/Costs, Specs The Boeing Company About the B-52 Stratofortress: The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy strategic bomber capable of dropping or launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory.

The latest version of the aircraft, the B-52H, can carry as much as 70,000 pounds of mixed ordnance and can be equipped with up to 20 air-launched cruise missiles. For more than 50 years, the B-52 Stratofortress has been the backbone of the U.S. strategic bomber force. Updated with modern technology, the B-52 will be capable of delivering the full complement of joint developed weapons and will continue into the 21st century as an important element of U.S. defenses. The B-52H is powered by eight Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofan engines, each delivering 17,000 pounds of thrust. The B-52 is equipped with the AN/APQ-166 Strategic Radar system. The Strategic Radar Replacement (SR2) program was supposed to replace the AN/APQ-166 (fielded in the 1960s), however, the B-52 SR2 program was terminated in FY 2013 for higher priorities.

In 2013, Lockheed Martin 's Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) achieved operational flight status on the B-52H. The pod provides pilots with high-resolution imagery for precision targeting and non-traditional ISR missions. Also, Northrop Grumman 's AN/AAQ-28(V) LITENING targeting pod is operational on the B-52. Apart from performing strategic bombing missions, the B-52 is also effective when used for ocean surveillance, where the aircraft can assist the U.S. Navy in anti-ship and mine-laying operations. In just two hours, two B-52s can monitor 140,000 square miles of ocean surface. A total of 744 B-52s were built (of which 102 were B-52H models) with the last aircraft delivered in October 1962.

Only the B-52H variant is still in the Air Force inventory and a total of 58 B-52H aircraft are in active service with the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB in North Dakota and the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana. Another 18 aircraft are assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's 917th Wing at Barksdale AFB. Engineering analyses predict the B-52's life span to extend beyond the year 2040. The B-52H has a certified service life of 27,701 flight hours and the fleet averages 18,771 airframe hours as of December 31, 2015. The Air Force is currently developing the B-21 Raider aka Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B), which is the replacement platform for the B-52H and B-1B Lancer . The target is a production of 80-100 aircraft that are stealthy and capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

The official per unit target price is $550 million but, in September 2016, it was reported that the unit price will likely be closer to $511 million. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the B-21 is planned for the mid-2020s. In late October 2015, the Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman the contract to build the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) - named B-21 Raider in September 2016. The company was selected over a joint bid by Boeing and Lockheed Martin . Armament/Weapons: The B-52 carries a wide range of weapons, including AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCMs) (both internally and externally).

Among other types of ordnance, the aircraft can carry AGM-86C/D CALCM, Mk 62 500-pound sea mines; 500-pound Mk 82 or 2,000-pound Mk 84 General Purpose Bombs as well as CBU-87/89/97, CBU-103/104/105 Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispensers (WCMD), and Paveway II Laser Guided Bombs. The B-52 also carries GBU-31/38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) , AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM), and AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapons (JSOW). Future weapons that may be fielded on the B-52, include the AGM-158B JASSM-ER and the massive GBU-57 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). For more details, see specifications below.

Mission/Role: The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber able to perform a variety of missions. The B-52 is capable of flying at high subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet. It can carry nuclear or precision guided conventional ordnance with worldwide precision navigation capability. FY 2016 DoD Program: FY 2016 provides $144.9 million for modifications and upgrades to the B-52 weapon system. The primary modifications in FY 2016 are the B-52 Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade and the B-52 Combat Network Communications Technology Capability Improvement. FY 16 also provides $74.5 million for RDT&E. FY 2017 DoD Program: FY 2017 requests $109.0 million for modifications and upgrades to the B-52 weapon system. The primary modification in FY 2017 is the B-52 Combat Network Communications Technology Capability Improvement. FY 17 also requests $78.3 million for RDT&E.

For more information, click to see the FY 2017 USAF B-52 Modifications Budget . Sources Used: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Forecast International, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. Last Update: September 22, 2016. By Joakim Kasper Oestergaard Balle /// (kasper.oestergaard@forecast1.com) External Resources: Once Again The USAF Is Looking To Re-Engine Its B-52 Fleet Once Again The USAF Is Looking To Re-Engine Its B-52 Fleet Go to permalink The USAF is kicking around 'creative concepts' under which it could re-engine its fleet of 74 ever evolving B-52H Stratofortresses . With the bombers remaining in front-line service until at least 2040, and considering that flying with eight 1960s vintage TF33 engines is far from fuel efficient (burning 3k gallons an hour), re-engined B-52s should make great financial sense.

The B-52 Is Becoming A Terrifyingly Intelligent Smart Weapons Truck The B-52 Is Becoming A Terrifyingly Intelligent Smart Weapons Truck The B-52 Is Becoming A Terrifyingly Intelligent… The B-52 has only been able to carry smart weapons on its external pylons, with its internal… Read more Read more Defensenews.com quoted Lt. Gen Mike Holmes, deputy chief of staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements, telling reporters at a February 6th event: Advertisement Advertisement "To go out and buy new engines for the B-52, you'd have a really hard time fitting that into our program, but that's why we're interested in a public-private partnership, which would be a different way to amortize those engines over time and pay for them in the savings that they actually generate, instead of paying for them out of savings that you hope for.... The idea is in a public-private partnership, somebody funds the engine and then we pay them back over time out of the fuel savings, which are generated out of the new engines. Our government has a way to do that with facilities.

We don't have a way to do that with airplanes, and we are exploring whether there are alternative ways that would let us do that... Look at what the airline industry is doing — they're all re-engining. Why? Because it saves you a lot of money. If there is a commercially available engine which can give a 25-30 percent increase in either range or loiter, you have my attention." Such 'creative financing' methods for upgrading existing or procuring new capabilities have become increasingly talked about over the last two decades within the DoD, with leasing military aircraft and unique public/private usage schemes becoming a norm for other governments around the globe. You Can Buy This Ex-Royal Air Force TriStar Tanker For $1.75M You Can Buy This Ex-Royal Air Force TriStar Tanker For $1.75M You Can Buy This Ex-Royal Air Force TriStar… Over the last decade, the Royal Air Force has made some very deep budget cuts while also trying to… Read more Read more Today, the DoD upgrades facilities and buys vehicles against future energy savings but they are not allowed to do the same with combat aircraft.

If the legal issues can be solved and doing so becomes a possibility, there is little doubt that it would be a major boost for both the jet engine industry and for America's combat aviation forces' capabilities. This is especially true when you take into account the USAF's rapidly aging aircraft inventory. USA TODAY: Latest World and US News - USATODAY.com USA TODAY: Latest World and US News - USATODAY.com USA TODAY: Latest World and US News - USATODAY.com USA TODAY delivers current local and national news, sports, entertainment, finance, technology, and … Read more Read more This is not the first time the iconic bombers were rumored to be getting new powerplants. B-52 re-engine schemes date as far back as the early 1980s.

Although a serious push in the late 1990s and early 2000s, in which the B-52s would get a quartet of General Electric CF6 high-bypass turbofans, was shot down due to a study by the Air Force that concluded spending $4B on new engines for the B-52 fleet would end up saving 'just' $400M, and that is only if the jets flew another 40 years. This Video Shows That You Don't Fly A B-52 You Wrestle It Around The Sky This Video Shows That You Don't Fly A B-52 You Wrestle It Around The Sky This Video Shows That You Don't Fly A B-52 You… The B-52H Stratofortress is a quarter of a million pound aluminum Cold War era pterodactyl, and its … Read more Read more In 2004, the USAF independent Science Board study on the subject found that this study was totally inaccurate as it did not factor in tanker gas that costs around 7 to 10 times more than gas loaded on the ground at large US bases.

Nor did it take into account the high cost of gas that had to be shipped to exotic locations that are frequented by America's long-range bomber force, such as the island of Diego Garcia. Advertisement Sponsored The Science Board's findings are over a decade old now and gas, at times, has over doubled in price over that decade. Had the faulty study not derailed the B-52's re-engining, doing so would have saved massive amounts of money. Not only would new engines make the B-52 fleet more economical and reliable to operate, they would also extend its already gargantuan range and loitering time, as well as its takeoff performance and its payload lifting abilities. This is something that the airliner industry is well aware of and reworking older designs with new powerplants is a very hot business category for both Boeing and Airbus right now . A B-52 was used for testing the TF39 and CF6 engines for the C-5 Galaxy program in the late 1960s. Advertisement One candidate for the B-52s re-enginging is the Pratt & Whitney PW2000, otherwise known as the F117 engine in DoD parlance.

This is the same engine that flies on the C-17 and the 757 and Pratt & Whitney has supposedly put forward options that would keep the B-52 an eight engine aircraft via using a special nacelle housing two F117s mounted on a single pylon. This would also help with engine out controllability compared to going with a four engine setup. Considering that the C-17 will be out of production this year and the 757 line has been shuttered for years, the USAF may be able to strike a very favorable deal with Pratt & Whitney for the engine type. Still, competition could fierce, with longtime B-52 engine candidate General Electric very likely to compete with either their CF6 or CF34-10. Rolls Royce would also likely bid on the project. As with any weapons platform it seems, as more money is dumped into it, more money gets dumped into it. An engine upgrade could lead to the B-52 receiving other missions, such as working as a standoff jammer and electronic attack aircraft or working as a long-endurance communications node or radar surveillance and targeting platform.

With new engines and the new economy and capability boost that comes along with them, the B-52 may last far past its current 2040 out of service date. Who knows, it is not out of the realm of possibility that the Big Ugly Fat Fucker could still be plowing the skies well into the second half of the century. Such a feat would be akin to flying a Sopwith Camel into battle today. Advertisement Advertisement Another byproduct of an engine swap on the B-52 will be the disappearance of the jet's characteristic long black exhaust trails, which will be a loss for some nostalgic types but a great victory for the environment.

Tyler Rogoway is a defense journalist and photographer who maintains the website Foxtrot Alpha for Jalopnik.com You can reach Tyler with story ideas or direct comments regarding this or any other defense topic via the email address Tyler@Jalopnik.com Upgrades to extend B-52 Bomber's lifespan until 2044 Upgrades to extend B-52 Bomber's lifespan until 2044 View gallery - 9 images Mention the "B-52" to most people and they'll think of either an '80s pop group, a bad hair style, or an ancient bomber that's a relic of the Cold War. The name conjures up a vintage warplane featured in grainy footage from the Cuban Missile Crisis which saw it's heyday when Slim Pickens rode an H-bomb from its belly like a bucking bronco in 1964's Dr. Strangelove.

What may surprise people is to learn that in the second decade of the 21st century, the B-52 fleet still provides most of the third leg of the American nuclear deterrence triad (the other two being submarine-launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles) and that it plays a major part in American conventional warfare strategy. Now the US Defense Department is upgrading the venerable USAF B-52 heavy bomber to allow it to remain a major part of the American arsenal until 2044. 60 year history First intended as a strategic bomber, the B-52 first flew in 1952. With a wingspan of 185 ft (56 m), maximum takeoff weight of 488,000 lbs (221,000 kg) and range of over 8,000 miles (13,000 km), it was designed to deliver 20 tons of nuclear weapons deep into Soviet territory.

Later, it's heavy bomb-carrying capacity made it ideal for dropping conventional weapons during the Vietnam War and later conflicts and the perfection of aerial refueling techniques meant that the only limitation of the B-52 was the endurance of its five-man crew. An example of this was during the Gulf War in 1991 when a B-52 carried out the longest bombing mission in history : 35 hours from Barksdale USAF base in Louisiana to Baghdad and back. Over the years, the B-52 was found to be a remarkable example of over-engineering and by replacing and upgrading various subsystems as they wore out or became obsolete, the bomber continued to carry out its mission. These upgrades included such things as GPS navigation, targeting pods, electronic countermeasures, heavy adopter beams to carry heavier armaments, and rotating racks allowing it to carry air-launched cruise missiles, just to name a few. 2012 upgrades In September 2011, North Dakota Senator John Hoeven announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee had approved $88 million for further upgrades to the 76 B-52H bombers that remain out of the total production run of 744 aircraft.

These upgrades include the CONECT program , which will provide the B-52H with color displays, data links, advanced satellite links and the ability to talk to USAF systems for mission upgrades and even re-targeting data. Other upgrades are the installation of the 1760 databus that will allow the B-52H to carry the latest smart weapons as well new stand-off missiles. Also included is a study to replace the aircraft's radar system, which dates back to the 1960s, with a modern one. According to US Air Force Lt. Gen. James Kowalski , Commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command, there's still a "lot of life left" in the B-52H and it maintains the capacity to carry out it's duel nuclear/conventional roles "across the conflict spectrum." Towards 2044 The B-52 has proven a remarkably durable aircraft that has adapted to a changing world.

Too slow, heavy and unstealthy to fly into defended airspace, the BUFF's (Big Ugly Fat Fellow) days of standing 24-hour alerts against the outbreak of World War III are long over, but it still maintain its nuclear deterrent role as a platform for the new Long Range Stand-Off missile now under development which will allow the bomber to deliver a punch without going up against modern air defenses. The U.S. Air Force says that they have "plenty of engines" to replace any of the eight each bomber carries and by upgrading systems as they wear out or go obsolescent, it's believed the B-52H can be kept flying and up to standard. By 2044 however, the majority of B-52 fleet will have logged so many flight hours that the wings will no longer be able to sustain the fatigue after 84 years of service and the airframes will have to be retired. Of course by then the bomber force may have changed beyond recognition with manned bombers replaced with unmanned and "manned optional" machines that don't require a crew. It will be a world of robot and semi-robot warplanes where the B-52 is the fading echo of an earlier time.

When the last B-52 heads for a museum, it will be the end of an era in more ways than one. Air Force Begins Massive B-52 Overhaul | DoD Buzz Air Force Begins Massive B-52 Overhaul Air Force upgrades legacy bomber even as service works on the development of the much discussed next generation bomber. Posted By: Kris Osborn July 12, 2013 The U.S. Air Force is in the early phases of a massive, fleet-wide technological upgrade of its B-52 bombers, giving the war-tested platform new electronics and an increased ability to carry weapons, service officials said. Two distinct, yet interwoven B-52 modernization efforts will increase the electronics, communications technology, computing and avionics available in the cockpit while simultaneously configuring the aircraft with the ability to carry up to eight of the newest “J-Series” precision-guided weapons internally – in addition to carrying six weapons on each wing, said Eric Single, Chief of the Global Strike Division, Acquisition.

While most of the current inventory of B-52 bombers, a workhorse aircraft with a distinguished history, were initially fielded in the 1960’s, various upgrades over the years have kept the on-board technology current, Single explained. The Air Force is quick to emphasize its now-in-development next-generation Long Range Strike Bomber, or LRS-B, to be operational sometime during the 2020’s. At the same time, the service wants to be sure to maximize the usefulness of its inventory of B-52s for their remaining years. “Their structure, service life and air frames are good until around 2040. They are built very strong structurally. This is not a structural modification, but upgrades to the capabilities and the avionics,” Single explained. Single added that many of the B-52 air frames may hold up well beyond 2040, depending upon the level of use of the aircraft. However, the current ongoing electronics and communications upgrade, called Combat Network Communications Technology, or CONECT, will bring a whole new capability to the fleet of B-52s. “What it does it is it installs a digital architecture in the airplane,” Single explained.

“Instead of using data that was captured during the mission planning phase prior to your take off 15 to 20 hours ago – you are getting near real time intelligence updates in flight.” In particular, Single explained that the CONECT upgrades include software and hardware such as new servers, modems, radios, data-links, receivers and digital workstations for the crew. Some of the individual elements include the ARC-210 Warrior, a beyond-line-of-sight software programmable radio able to transmit voice, data and information in real time between the B-52s and ground command and control centers. “It is a software programmable radio. You can use it for voice but the big advantage is the digital data transfer capability,” said Single. The radio allows for the transmission and receipt of data packets and files with updated intelligence, mapping or targeting information while the aircraft is in flight, Single explained. “The crew gets the ability to communicate digitally outside the airplane which enables you to import not just voice but data for mission changes, threat notifications, targeting….all those different types of things you would need to get. The biggest capability is machine to machine transfer of that data.

In the past, if you had a target change in flight you got it over the radio and you copied down the coordinates,” Single said. Single explained that being able to update key combat-relevant information while in transit will substantially help the aircraft more effectively travel longer distances for missions, as needed. “The key to this is that this is part of the long-range strike family of systems — so if you take off out of Barksdale Air Force Base and you go to your target area, it could take 15 or 16 hours to get there. By the time you get there, all the threat information has changed,” said Single. “Things move, pop up or go away and the targeting data may be different.” Mentioning the vast geographical expanses that characterize the Pacific theater, Single explained that the CONECT upgrades will help the aircraft adjust to the service’s broader “re-balance” to the Pacific. Computer screens in the cockpit will provide digital moving maps of nearby terrain as well as graphics showing the aircraft’s flight path. Also, while not part of the CONECT upgrade, the plane’s radar, the AN/APQ-166, is able to provide the crew with all-weather capability.

The mechanically scanned array can provide a rendering of nearby terrain and also help connect the plane to an air-to-air refueling tanker in bad weather, Single explained. The upgrades will also improve the ability of the airplane to receive key intelligence information through a data link called the Intelligence Broadcast Receiver. In addition, the B-52s will be able to receive information through LINK-16, a known high-speed digital data link able to transmit targeting and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, or ISR information. The CONECT effort, slated to cost $1.1 billion overall, will unfold over the next several years, Single explained. Funding for the CONECT upgrades for the first 30 B-52’s is currently in place and Air Force plans include subsequent upgrades of 10 B-52 upgrades per year in each of the next several years. Upgrades plans, budgets and timeframes for the remainder of the fleet beyond the initial 30 are still being determined, Single explained. The first eight CONECT upgrades for B-52s were put on contract this past March. One analyst said the upgraded B-52s could provide essential precision-bombing capabilities over areas where the U.S.

has already established air superiority or where there is little or no defenses against high-altitude bombers. “You have an airframe that is fantastic and a classic for the ages. These upgrades are what the name of the game is – real time targeting information and being able to get a totally different task in flight. That is a break-through,” said Richard Aboulafia, Vice President of analysis at the Teal Group, a Virginia-based consultancy. “High speed data links are the future. Net-centric warfare is all about harnessing off-board sensors, whether it comes from satellites or a [Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System]. There is a constellation of targeting information available today.” Weapons Upgrade The Air Force is also making progress with a technology-inspired effort to increase the weapons payload for the workhorse bomber, Single added. The 1760 Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade, or IWBU, will allow the B-52 to internally carry up to eight of the newest “J-Series” bombs in addition to carrying six on pilons under each wing, he explained.

The B-52 have previously been able to carry some bombs internally, but with the IWBU the aircraft will be able to internally house some of the most cutting edge precision-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles, among others. “It is about a 66 percent increase in carriage capability for the B-52, which is huge. You can imagine the increased number of targets you can reach, and you can strike the same number of targets with significantly less sorties,” said Single. IWBU, which uses a digital interface and a rotary launcher to increase the weapons payload, is now finishing up the Technology Development phase and poised to move into the next phase of development this summer, he said. The IWBU effort is expected to cost roughly $313 million, service officials said. USAF resurrects B-52 from Arizona storage for first time - UPI.com Comments TUCSON, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force for the first time refurbished and returned to duty a B-52 bomber that was held in long-term storage at a facility in Arizona.

The B-52 Stratofortress, called "Ghost Rider," is a strategic long-range bomber that had been held at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona since its decommission in 2008. The dry desert climate helps preserve thousands of aircraft stored at the base's Boneyard , part of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group. While some of the aircraft are used for spare parts, the Ghost Rider was the first B-52 to be returned to duty from the Boneyard. The dry climate had, however, caused dry-rot on much of the plane's fuel lines and tires. After refurbishment and a taxi down the runway to test steering on the landing gear, Ghost Rider had a successful run of all eight engines in late January before it was flown on Feb. 13 to Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, La., to replace another B-52 that had been damaged in a cockpit fire. "I've been flying the B-52s since the '80s and it surprised me that after almost seven years...she cranked up just fine and we had no issues with the flight control systems," pilot Col.

Keith Schultz said, according to an Air Force report. Schultz is the 307th Operations Group commander, and with over 6,500 hours flight time he is the most experienced B-52 pilot still flying in the Air Force. He said Ghost Rider's journey from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to Barksdale Air Force Base took three hours and luckily occurred in good weather since "the inertial and navigational equipment had not been installed." Schultz said the bomber had made it though the "twilight of [his] career" and that "it could very well perform through these young maintainers' careers who once again brought her back to life."

Question: How many engines are there on a B-52 bomber?
Answer: 8